This event is free but ticketed.
Join Charo D’Etcheverry, professor of classical Japanese literature at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, as she discusses the Japanese art and science of forest bathing (shinrin yoku) and leads a forest bathing experience at Love Creek Nature Center in Berrien Center, Michigan.
Shinrin yoku encourages people to immerse themselves in nature through active engagement of the senses. The concept was proposed in 1982 by the Japanese Forest Agency to improve the well-being of Japanese citizens and the conservation of forests.
In addition to the forest bathing experience, 10 attendees will win a free book: The Japanese Art of Shinrin Yoku by Yoshifumi Miyazaki or Forest Bathing by Qing Li.
This is a free event that is designed for adults. Presented by Notre Dame’s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies and the Japanese Program in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. RSVP through the Liu Institute website.
“If we let our children go into the forest, they will become adults who will protect it.”
-Qing Li, Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Bathing
Learn more about "Shinrin Yoku"
About the Venue
Address: 9292 Huckleberry Road, Berrien Center, MI 49102
Love Creek Nature Center and County Park winds its way through a rolling 200-acre natural area outside of Berrien Springs, Michigan. Nine miles of hiking trails provide access to a variety of habitats, including a mature Beech-Maple forest with spectacular spring wildflowers. Open year-round, the park also offers cross-country skiing and mountain bike trails and is home to Berrien County Parks Commission’s Naturalist Service.
The Nature Center is designed to welcome visitors of all abilities. Accessible parking spaces are located adjacent to the center, with barrier-free walkways leading to the building entrance. The building features automatic door openers, accessible restrooms, and a wheelchair-accessible drinking fountain. Indoor exhibits, bird viewing windows and educational programming are accessible to most visitors.
Because Love Creek is a natural area, many hiking trails travel through rolling terrain and uneven forest surfaces. While the Nature Center and immediate grounds are accessible, much of the trail system includes hills, natural surfaces, roots, and seasonal conditions that may limit accessibility for some visitors. Please contact the nature center at 269-471-2617 or email lovecreek@berriencounty.org with accessibility questions.
Funding & Support
This event is made possible with funding from the University of Notre Dame’s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies and is cosponsored by the Japanese Program in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Notre Dame. Venue and staffing support are provided by Love Creek Nature Center.
"Discovering Shinrin Yoku" is a partner program of the 2027 Notre Dame Arts Biennial and is supported with funding from the Notre Dame Arts Initiative.
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Images
Preview thumbnail: Photo courtesy of Love Creek Nature Center. - 1. Charo D’Etcheverry. Photo by Christine Cox, courtesy of the Liu Institute.